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Elaine Youngs Inducted Into UCLA Athletics Hall Of Fame

Eight new members will be inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday night, Oct. 6. Invitation-only ceremonies will be held in the Hall of Fame, located in the J.D. Morgan Intercollegiate Athletics Center, and in Covel Commons. In addition, the new inductees will also be introduced during halftime of the Oct. 7 UCLA-Arizona football game at the Rose Bowl.

The UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame was dedicated in 1984 with 25 charter members. The Class of 2006 brings the total membership to 207. The 2006 inductees are Carol Bower, rowing; Herb Flam, tennis; Monte Nitzkowski, swimming and water polo; Jonathan Ogden, football and track and field; Annette Salmeen, swimming; Dennis Storer, soccer and rugby; John Vallely, basketball; and Elaine Youngs, volleyball.

Following are biographies on the 2006 UCLA Hall of Fame inductees:

Elaine Youngs Youngs was a four-year volleyball starter at outside hitter (1988, 1989, 1991, 1992) and led the Bruins to four Final Four appearances. By the end of her stellar career, she was one of only five women volleyball players (now 12) to have been ever selected as 4-time NCAA All-Americans. As a freshman in 1988, she was named All Pac-10 and second-team All-American while becoming the first Bruin to record over 400 kills (406). As a sophomore, she was named All-Pac-10 and first-team All-American as she led the team in kill average. She also set an all-time Bruin record with 33 digs against ASU. After redshirting the 1990 season while recovering from knee surgery, Youngs returned for the 1991 year and helped lead the Bruins to the National Championship while being named All Pac-10, second-team All-American and to the NCAA All-Tournament team. Her senior year, Youngs led the Bruins to the NCAA championship match and was named All Pac-10, first-team All-American and to the NCAA All-Tournament team. She finished the year ranked second in the Pac-10 and tenth in the nation with a .389 hitting percentage. Youngs concluded her career ranked fourth on UCLA career charts for kills, digs, services aces and seventh in blocks. She went on to be a member of the US National team from 1993-97 including the 1994 World Championships and 1996 Olympics. She has also been a very successful player on the professional beach circuit including winning the 2002 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Women's Player of the Year. In 2004, Youngs competed in her second Olympics and won a bronze medal in Beach Volleyball with partner Holly McPeak. Youngs also played 2 years (1989-90) for the Bruin basketball team, averaging 5.7 points.

Carol Bower Bower has been called the greatest all-around women's crew athlete in UCLA history (1978-79). A bronze medalist in the 1979 World Championships, she joined the U.S. National Women's Rowing team in 1980. She was a three-time World Champion Silver Medalist (1981-83) and took home the gold medal in the eights during the 1984 Summer Olympics. Bower was selected Oarswoman of the Year in 1982 by the United States Olympic Committee and was inducted in the Rowing Hall of Fame in 1984. Bower graduated from UCLA in 1979 and served as the head coach of the University of Pennsylvania's Women's Rowing program from 1987-1996. She is currently the head crew coach at Bryn Mawr College

Herb Flam Flam was UCLA's top tennis player in 1947-48-49-50. In 1950, as co-captain (with Glenn Bassett, who would later become UCLA's head coach), he led UCLA to its first-ever NCAA team championship as he became the first Bruin tennis player to ever capture the individual NCAA titles in both the singles and doubles (with Gene Garrett) in the same year. The 1950 team opened the door for Bruin tennis teams which won five NCAA titles between 1950 and 1956 and ultimately established the UCLA program as No. 1 in the United States. Over several years, Flam was one of the nation's stars in an era when most Davis Cup team members and top international players came from our colleges and universities. From 1951-57, Flam was ranked in the World's Top-Ten four times. In all, Flam made the singles quarter-finals at Wimbledon on three occasions and the US Open six times. He was inducted into the Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987.

Monte NitzkowskiNitzkowski swam and played water polo for the Bruins in 1950 and 1951 after transferring from Fullerton Junior College. He won the Bob Starr Memorial Trophy as the outstanding Bruin swimmer in 1951. He was a two-time southern division breaststroke champion at 200 yards and held the PCC record at 2:22.4 while also owning the Bruin record in the 100 yard breaststroke. Nitzkowski had a record of 22 wins in 24 starts in dual competition while at UCLA and was the first Bruin to ever make the NCAA meet twice earning All-America honors. Nitzkowski was a member of the US Olympic team in 1952 in the 200 meter breaststroke. In water polo, Nitzkowski was named first-team all southern division in 1951 as a Bruin. He has gone on to become one of the world's foremost authorities in water polo. From 1954-89, he coached Long Beach City College to 32 conference water polo championships and 12 conference swim titles. Nitzkowski also served as U.S. National Team Water Polo coach from 1967-1984 and coached the U.S. team in four Olympics including bronze in 1972 and silver in 1984. Nitzkowski was a 1991 selection to the International Swimming Hall of Fame and is a member of the U.S. Water Polo Hall of Fame.

Jonathan OgdenArguably the finest offensive lineman in UCLA football history, Ogden was a four-year starter at offensive tackle in 1992-93-94-95. In 1992 he was named first-team Freshman All-American and followed that up as a second-team Sophomore All-American. As a junior, Ogden was named All Pac-10 and third-team All-American. As a senior in 1995, Ogden received a myriad of honors including being named the Outland Trophy winner as the top interior lineman in the nation (UCLA's first ever), unanimous first-team All-America, first-team All Pac-10, Morris Trophy winner, UPI Lineman of the Year, Lombardi Trophy runner-up and Co-UCLA offensive MVP. He was the cornerstone of UCLA's offensive line which led to the Bruins highest rushing average since 1967 at 4.7 yard per carry. In 1997, Ogden became the 8th Bruin to have his jersey retired. Ogden was the #4 overall selection in the first round of 1996 NFL draft by Baltimore. He was named the NFL All-Rookie team and has since been named to eight consecutive Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams. Ogden remains one of the best and most dominating linemen in the NFL. He helped lead Baltimore to the 2001 Super Bowl title and was named NFL Alumni Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2002. While at UCLA, Ogden was also a strong thrower on the UCLA track & field team winning the 1996 NCAA indoor track title in the shot put. Ogden also finished fourth in the 1995 NCAA outdoor championships and fifth in both 1994 and `95 in the indoor championships.

Annette Salmeen The epitome of a student-athlete, Salmeen was a four-year All-American swimmer (1993-94-95-96), a four-year Academic All-American and the first UCLA women's swimmer to capture an NCAA individual title when she won the 200 butterfly in 1996 in 1:55:84. During that magical senior campaign in 1996, Salmeen won two Pac-10 titles in 100m and 200m butterfly and was named UCLA Female Athlete of the Year and Alumni Association Outstanding Senior. She also received the NCAA Top VIII Award, presented to only eight NCAA student-athletes annually for excellence in academics and athletics. In addition, Salmeen was a NCAA Women of the Year finalist, received a NCAA post-graduate scholarship and named a Rhodes Scholar (UCLA's 8th student ever and first since 1973). During her Bruin career, she was a two-time team MVP, named the team's hardest worker on three occasions, voted most inspirational twice and graduated with UCLA records in 200 butterfly, 200 free and 500 free. Salmeen went on make the 1996 US Olympic team and captured a gold medal as a member of the 800m freestyle relay team. Individually, she finished 12th in the 200m butterfly in the Olympics. Salmeen graduated from UCLA with honors in chemisty (3.94 GPA) in 1997 and completed her Doctorate of Philosophy degree in biochemistry as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in 2001. She is currently conducting post doctoral research in molecular pharmacology at Stanford University Medical School.

Dennis StorerStorer came to UCLA from Britain in 1966 and began an extraordinarily successful career as a UCLA faculty member as well as the head coach of Men's Soccer and Rugby programs. In soccer, Storer was named UCLA head coach after soccer was elevated to NCAA status in 1967. Storer's soccer teams compiled a remarkable 103-10-10 record while he was at the helm from 1967-73. Although the soccer team did not field any scholarship players under Storer, UCLA had three NCAA runner-up finishes, three West Coast Championships and five All Cal titles. In Rugby, Storer's teams complied an outstanding 362-46-2 record against collegiate, major club and international teams during the period of 1966-1982 and included three National Championships (`68, `72, `75). UCLA Rugby also won every All-Cal title and 16 Southern California division championships. While at UCLA, Storer also served as U.S. National Coach in rugby from 1976-82, and 14 of the first U.S. National team players were Bruins. Storer has been widely recognized internationally as a coach and a great sportsman as well as his commitment to helping underprivileged youth. From 1968-82, Storer also served as Director of UCLA's National Youth Sports Programs, and during 1982-84 he served as British Olympic Association Executive Director and Attache in USA for the L.A. Olympics. Dennis was honored by Queen Elizabeth II with an OBE in 1994 for services in British/American Education, Sport and Commerce. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1999.

John VallelyVallely was a starting guard for two UCLA Basketball National Championship teams (1969-`70), playing for Coach John Wooden. A junior college transfer, Vallely became known as 'Money Man' for his play in big games. Against Drake in the 1969 NCAA semi-finals, Vallely poured in 29 points to lead the Bruins to an 85-82 victory. Playing in consecutive Final Fours, he averaged 20.5 ppg and was named to the All-Final Four team on both occasions. In all, Vallely averaged 13.8 ppg as a Bruin and was the 1969 free throw champion at 75.5%. Vallely was drafted in the 1st round of the NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks and played two years in the NBA. Valley competed also competed in beach volleyball in 1969 & 70 and won a total of 8 titles (7 with legendary Ron Von Hagen) including the prestigious 1969 Manhattan Beach Open.